Chimney construction



Feb. l2, 1 935. G. F. KOTRBATY 1,990,655

' CHIMNEY CONSTRUCTION l Filed Nov. 1, 19:53 2 sheetssheet 2 Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES IfllnaTsNr oFFicE 1,990,655 oHIMNEY CONSTRUCTION Guy F.' Kotrbaty, New York, N. Y. Application Nmmber- 1, 1933, `Senn No. 696,144 f s claims. (o1. vs -9o) This invention relates to improvements in building construction, and more particularly to an improved chimney and process for fabricating the. same.

yHitherto in the manufacture .of 'chimneys and flues generally, it has been customary touse brick, stone, terra cotta, and the like lined withflue tiling, in addition to which .poured concrete structures were made'use of. Further, cement blocks and bricks are made. use of, and in factory'chimneys and others requiring considerable height to provide an appropriate draft for boiler installations special brick were used, as well as iron and steel structures. All of these prior 1 type installations required considerable` outlaysin materials and labor costs, in addition to requiring considerable periods of time for assembling;

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved chimneyand flue construction, which is adapted fora wide variety of purposes, and which is susceptible of ready alterations to permit itsuse in different types of constructions.

`Yet another.y object of this invention is the provision of such an improved chimney and flue construction, which is adapted to be incorporated in and associated with existing wooden and masonry structures, and more particularly with improved monolithically bonded metallic structures as set forth and claimed in my prior 'Patent No. A1,8"1 7,898, -issuedSeptember 20, 1932, for Building construction and in mjy-,application Serial No. 509,237, filed January 16, 1931-, now matured into Patent No. 1,968,045,01V July 31, 1934. v

While 4a suitable embodimentof the principles of the present invention will besetfforth and described in` the `accompanying specication and illustratedin the-drawings, it is to be understood that `this is solely for the` purpose of exemplification, for since the underlying-principles may be incorporated in other specific structures, it is not intended to be limitedv to theories here shown,

except as such limitations. are ,clearly imposed by the appended claims.

i Inxthe drawings, like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews, of which:

Fig.,1is; a perspc-rctiveA view of an improved chimney, parts being broken away to show the arrangement of the -constituent members.

Fig. 2 isa-horizontal section of a chimney as shownzin Fig; 1; Fig. 3; is ai horizontal sectionof a chimney-and associated wall assembly, and

Fig. Lljisa detail horizontal section of a chimney assurfacedwithtiling.,v A

VReferring tothe drawings, there is shown an improved chimney `designated generally bythe numeral 1', and includes a plurality of corner grids, 2 of metal, the construction and, details being set forth in my application above identified. Wall grids 3 of any suitable dimensions are positioned between the corner grids and secured thereto by means of suitable key members 4 of the type described in my application Serial No. 368,- 226, led June 4, 1929. The Wall and corner grids may be filled with any suitableconcrete mix or the like, designated generally by the numeral 5. The outside coating of plastic 6 is smoothed from the excess of material 5 draining through apertures '7 in the grid members, or it may be constituted of a separately applied coat of plastic, such as neat cementor thelike. In the latter case lany suitable means may be used to apply the material such as the ordinary hand troweling` or mechanical methods, such as concrete guns, etc. The usual flue tiling 8 of suitable dimensions is inserted in the inner channel or space formed by the grids, and is bonded thereto byA the plastic 9 flowingfrom the apertures on the inner side of the grid'members. Where the chimneys or stacks are to be used in connectionwith blast furnaces, steam generating plants or other installations subjected to high temperatures, theilue tiling vmay be replaced by heat resistanty metal members or fire brick constructions. It will thus be seen that the chimney may be simply constructed by suitably positioning and associating grid members and flue tiling, or other suitable liners, the whole being irst assembled and the inner spaces of the grids iilled` with plastic embedment oraggregate 5, the iiue tiling being bonded to: the grid portions yof the structures by the neat portion of the aggregate 9, and the outer surface being formed of like material, iinishedoi in accordance with the usual.methodsor,'if desired, may be formed ofan added coat of a suitable plastic. As noted above, the lling 5 may be. dispensed with if it is not necessary to have a maximum of strength in the chimney column. Eilicient results may also be obtained by using a heat insulating material as a filler in place of a concrete mix. Such material may be in compact or discrete form and may include any of asbestos, silica, magnesia, or other well known insulants.

Where itis desired to embellish or ornament the exterior surface, added plastic may be incorporated therein, a suitable coloring lmatter being added to 4give the desired results.

As intimated hereinbefore due to the flexibility fof the novel construction of the present invention,

any desired type of structure may be readily assembled at a minimum cost both for material and labor, in addition to which marked improvements in structural and mechanical efficiencies are provided by the novel system here disclosed. Due to the continuous metal to metal structures and ther mutual bonding, the chimneys or ilues are rigidly supported against lateral stresses by the keying action of the corner grid members, and are substantially supported in a vertical direction by the inherent rigidity of the same members in their association with the interposed wall grids. These factors of stability are further enhanced by the structural function of the plastic materials filling the Wall grid and corner members throughout, which, as above noted, in addition to their adding an increment of structural stability to the composite structure subserve the added useful function of providing a bonding material for the central flue tiling, and, if desired, that of an exterior decorative coat for the structure. The invention also comprehends the use of a finish coat of brick, tile or other suitable structural materials embedded in the exterior plastic coat or secured to the outer walls of the grids by wires, clips or other fastening devices.

' Due to the improved structural strength arising from the novel association of the structural metallic members with the structural plastic materials, a marked saving in both materials may be had over that normally required for either one alone to secure the same or substantially equivalent results. It is Well-known that an iron column with a concrete filling is structurally more eflicient than a simple concrete column of the same size, or an iron pipe of the same size, while at the same time requiring less of both materials to give a more structurally efficient composite supporting member. Thus the units constructed in accordance with the present invention may have considerably decreased overall dimensions over ordinary masonry, or equivalent constructions without sacricing any thermal efficiency as evidenced by the effective size of the flue member or tiling proper.

While adapted for use generally in connection or association with all types of building structures, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in improved dwellings or other structures fabricated according to the novel method set forth and claimed in my issued Patents No. 1,877,898, of September 20, 1932, and No. 1,968,- 045 of July 3l, 1934. Where the novel chimney or flue of the present invention is to be associated with such a building, that portion of the chimney disposed within the building or abutting from an outside wall thereof, may desirably comprise two corner grids with an interposed wall grid, the remaining two sides adjacent these grids being formed over wall grids of suitable dimensions. The remaining side of the square, indicated generally at 20is formed of an ordinary wall grid 21 forming a portion of the room or portion of the house with which is associated contiguous members of like construction 22, 23. 'I'hese contiguous members and the side walls of the chimney proper are keyed together by a three-way key member 24, which has been described `and claimed in my application Serial No. 368,226, filed June 4, 1929. Where desired, further simplification in construction may be accomplished by utilizing an ordinary key member 4, which keys two contiguous members lying in the same plane, the' angularly disposed grid member being secured thereto by means of an improved combination key clip member 26, including a body portion 2'7, expansible web portions 28, and angularly disposed gripping members 29 adapted to fit into and frictionally engage apertures 30 in the wall grid members, which apertures are normally lled with cement or other plastic, and serves to bond juxtaposed grids together.

Where desired, a surface finish of tiling or bricks for exposed surfaces may be provided as indicated generally in Fig. 4. In such construction individual or strip tiling members or bricks 40, the bricks usually provided with integral wire ties 41 bonded therein, may be secured to panel members 21 of wall members 20 by passing the wire ties 41 around the supports and securing them in the usual manner. In such constructions the usual plastic surface finish 9 is a separate plastic surfacing or the neat portion of the aggregate iiowed out from the body of the selfsupporting grids, and the tiles may be set therein without the use of wire ties.

It will now be seen that there has been provided an improved method of fabricating chimney and ue structures generally, together with such improved structures which are adapted to be fabricated from standard parts of the types set forth and described in my applications previously referred to, which constructions are susceptible over a wide variety of changes in design without requiring alterations of the constituent parts, and which are further susceptible of ready fabrication at a. minimumcost for both labor and materials, as Well as providing finished structures which are structurally efficient and adapted to function for appreciably extended periods over those now known.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved chimney construction including, in combination, an apertured body composed of open-ended, self-supporting metallic wall grids having spaced sides, and ends bridging and spacing the sides, the ends being formed with integral keyways; the said grids being respectively abutted and locked by means of keys in the abutting keyways, whereby to form spaced metallic columns having integral, vertical stillening and supporting members; a heat resistant liner of flue tiling in the chimney aperture, cementitious plastic material between the flue tiling and the Wall grids, and a cementitlous surfacing for the outer surface of the chimney.

2. An improved chimney construction including, in combination, an apertured body composed of open-ended, self-supporting metallic wall grids having spaced sides, and ends bridging and spacing the sides, the ends being formed with integral keyways; the said grids being respectively abutted and locked by meansv of keys in the abutting keyways, whereby to form spaced metallic columns having integral, vertical stiffening and supporting members; a heat resistant liner of flue tiling in the chimney aperture, an insulating filler for the interior of the grids, cementitlous plastic material between the flue tiling and the wall grids, and a cementitious surfacing for the outer surface of the chimney.

3. An improved chimney construction including, in combination, an apertured body composed of open-ended, self-supporting metallic wall grids having spaced sides, and ends bridging and spacing the sides, the ends being formed with 1ntegral keyways; the said grids being respectively abutted and locked by means of keys in the abutlting keyways, whereby to form spaced metallic columns having integral, vertical stiffening and supporting members; a heat resistant liner of flue tiling in the chimney aperture, a self -hardening initially plastic insulating ller in the interior of the grids; cementitious plastic material between the flue tiling and the wall grids, and a cementitious surfacing for the outer surface of the chimney.

4. An improved chimney construction including, in combination, an apertured body composed of open-ended, self-supporting metallic wall grids having spaced sides, and ends bridging and spacing the sides, the ends being formed with integral keyways; the said grids being respectively abutted and locked by means of keys in the abut,- tin'g keyways, whereby to form spaced metallic columns having integral, Vertical stiffening and supporting members; a heat resistant liner of flue tiling in the chimney aperture, a self-hardening initially plastic insulating ller in the interior of the grids; cementitious plastic material between the flue tiling and the wall grids, and a cementitious surfacing for the outer surface of the chimney, the interlocked grids extending completely around the ue lining.

5. An improved chimney construction including, in combination, an apertured body composed of open-ended, self-supporting metallic wall grids having spaced sides, and ends bridging and spacing the sides, the ends being formed with integral keyways; the said grids being respectively abutted and locked by means of keys in the abutting keyways, whereby to form spaced metallic columns having integral, vertical stiffening and supporting members; a heat resistant liner of flue tiling in the chimney aperture, a cementitious surfacing for the outer surfaces of the grids, and a facing of tiles embedded in the said covering.

`6. An improved chimney construction including, in combination, an apertured body composed of open-ended, self -supporting metallic wall grids havingl spaced sides, and ends bridging and spacing the sides, the endsbeing formed with integral keyways; the said grids `being respectively abutted and locked by means of keys in the abutting keyways, whereby to form spaced metallic columns having integral, vertical stiffening and supporting members; a heat resistant liner of flue tiling in the chimney aperture, a cementitious surfacing for the outer surfaces of the grids, and a facing of tiles embedded in the said covering,lthe said tiles being provided with securing means comprising wire ties secured to the grid Walls.

'7. In an improved building construction comprising walls formed of open-ended, self-supporting grids having wall panels spaced by and secured to end members having keyways formed therein, abutted grids being interlocked by keys disposed in abutted keyways and substantially coextensive therewith, the improvements comprising a chimney construction including wall grids rectangularly disposed in respect to building wall sections, and keyed thereto, together with other grids bridging the rst said Wall grids and forming a self-supporting chimney with the wall section, and having a central aperture, a heat resistant liner in the said chimney aperture, and structural plastic coatings on the exterior of the so-formed chimney, and on the interior thereof, the said interior plastic coating bonding the insulating liner and the chimney structure.

8. In an improved building construction comprising walls formed of open-ended, self-supporting grids having Wall panels spaced by and secured to end members having keyways formed therein, abutted grids being interlocked by keys disposed in abutted keyways and substantially coeXtensive therewith, the improvements comprising a chimney construction including Wall grids rectangularly disposed in respect to build- GUY F. KO'I'RBATY. 

